At the Preservation Trust, we are incredibly lucky in that we get to work with our heroes—from visionary landowners and generous philanthropists to our dedicated volunteers, partners, and consultants. The success of every project depends on an intricate network of heroic and extraordinary individuals, each contributing his or her own unique superpower to the effort.

Among these many remarkable people, no one has contributed more to the Preservation Trust’s conservation success over the past 24 years than has Konrad Liegel, our legal counsel. Konrad has stood at the center of every land transaction we’ve completed in that time, providing us with advice and a steady hand as we’ve navigated literally hundreds of conservation projects from negotiation to completion.

Executive Director Angela Anderson presenting Konrad Liegel with SJPT’s Lifetime Achievement Award | Credit: Chase Anderson

Despite his Ivy League law degree and long tenure at one of Seattle’s most prestigious law firms, Konrad is not the bellicose, fee-hungry lawyer of the old stereotype. Soft-spoken, insightful, and ethical beyond reproach, Konrad now practices law under his own shingle, advising families, individuals, and nonprofit organizations on conservation, land use, environmental, real estate and charitable matters.

We have many people to thank for our success, including most of you. But behind the scenes, during times of stress and uncertainty, Konrad Liegel is our superhero. As he approaches his well-deserved retirement, we are incredibly proud to honor him with the San Juan Preservation Trust’s inaugural conservation lifetime achievement award. We are all grateful for his friendship, and we simply couldn’t imagine doing this work without him.

(And yes, our attorney’s last name is really pronounced “legal”!)